Kearney Regional Medical Center offers innovative cardiology procedure

KEARNEY, Neb. (KSNB) - Kearney Regional Medical Center is the first hospital in Nebraska outside of Lincoln and Omaha to offer the WATCHMAN device. It is known as an alternative to the lifelong use of blood thinners for people affected by AFib.

AFib is an irregular heartbeat that can feel like a quivering heart. People with AFib have a five times greater risk of stroke than those with normal heart rhythms.

The WATCHMAN Implant is inserted into your heart during a one-time, minimally invasive procedure that typically lasts an hour and requires general anesthesia. It’s a permanent device that doesn’t have to be replaced and has already been implanted in more than 300,000 patients worldwide.

“I’m proud to be able to offer this technology as it offers our patients a potentially life-changing stroke risk treatment and will allow us to treat a broader range of patients going forward,” said Dr. Vivek Varma, Interventional Cardiologist at Platte Valley Medical Clinic and Kearney Regional Medical Center.

To find out if this new implant is right for you, you can call 308-865-2263 or visit //bryanhealth.com/pvmc-watchman.